1  Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you, or [letters] of recommendation from you?

1  Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? or need we, as do some, epistles of commendation to you or from you?

1  Must we begin again to commend ourselves? Or are we in need (as some are) of epistles of commendation for you, or from you?

2  You are our letter, having been written in our hearts, being known and being read by all men;

2  Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men;

3  being made known that you are [the] letter of Christ, which was ministered by us, having been written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not in tablets of stone but in tablets of flesh, [namely] in hearts.

3  For you are known to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the Living God; not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of the living heart.

4  And we have such trust through Christ toward God.

4  And such confidence have we through Christ to God-ward

4  Such is the trust that we have through Christ toward God.

5  Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to consider anything as from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,

5  It is not that we are adequate to think anything of ourselves, as if anything was from us. But our adequacy is from God.

6  who also has made us efficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of [the] letter but of [the] Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive.

6  And he has made us suitable ministers of the New Testament, not in the letter, but in the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

6  Who has made us worthy to be ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but the Spirit: for the letter of the law punishes with death, but the Spirit gives life.

7  Now if the ministry of death, having been engraved in letters on stones, came to be with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently into the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, the [glory which] [was] passing away,

7  But if the ministration of death, written, [and] engraven on stones, came with glory, so that the children of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses for the glory of his face; which [glory] was passing away

7  But if the ministration of death, engraved with letters upon stones, was in glory, (so much so that the sons of Israel were not able to gaze intently upon the face of Moses, because of the glory of his countenance) even though this ministration was ineffective,

8  how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious?

8  how shall not rather the ministration of the spirit be with glory?

8  Why then shall not the ministration of the Spirit be more glorious?

9  For if the ministry of condemnation [had] glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

9  For if the ministration of condemnation is with glory, so much more is the ministration of justice abundant in glory.

10  For even that which has been glorified has not been glorified in this respect, because of the surpassing glory.

10  And neither was it glorified by means of an excellent glory, though it was made illustrious in its own way.

10  Just as that which was not glorious became glorified, in comparison with that, this excels in glory.

11  For if that which passes away [was] glorious, then that which remains is much more glorious.

11  For if even what was temporary has its glory, then what is lasting has an even greater glory.

12  Therefore, having such hope, we use great boldness of speech-

12  Seeing therefore that we have such hope, we conduct ourselves bravely

12  Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech

13  and not as Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the end of what was passing away.

14  But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is removed in Christ.

14  but their minds were hardened: for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remaineth, it not being revealed [to them] that it is done away in Christ.

14  for their minds were obtuse. And, even until this present day, the very same veil, in the readings from the Old Testament, remains not taken away (though, in Christ, it is taken away).

15  But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart.

15  But even unto this day, whenever the books of Moses are read, the veil is upon their hearts.

16  But whenever one turns to YHWH, the veil is taken away.

16  But when they will have been converted to the Lord, then the veil shall be taken away.

16  Nevertheless whenever a man turns to the LORD, the veil is taken away.

17  Now YHWH is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there is freedom.

17  Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, [there] is liberty.

18  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of YHWH, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

18  Yet truly, all of us, as we gaze upon the unveiled glory of the face of the Lord, are transfigured into the same image, from one glory to another. And this is done by the Spirit of the Lord.

18  But we all, with open faces, see as in a mirror the glory of the LORD, and we shall be transformed into the same likeness, from one glory to another, just as the Spirit comes from the LORD.